1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a slot device, such as an ExpressCard slot device, mounted in a notebook computer, and particularly relates to a slot device that facilitates the smooth insertion of a card type inversion/ejection member into a slot.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, typical notebook computers are equipped with PC card slot devices. The specifications for PC cards are standardized by the PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association), and PC cards are employed as extension devices for personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “PCs”; note, however, that the term “PC card” is itself a proper noun, and does not correspond to the term “personal computer card”). In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-182712, while taking into account a situation wherein a user has trouble aligning a PC card with and inserting the PC card in a card slot, a structure is disclosed that facilitates the insertion of a PC card. According to this Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-182712 a slot device is equipped with a movable tray. When a user presses on the push rod of an eject mechanism, the movable tray is extracted and positioned outside of the PC card slot device. The user then places a PC card on the movable tray and pushes the movable tray back into the storage space.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-213505, a slot device is disclosed that can be used in common for two types of cards, i.e., a wide, thick card and a narrow, thin card. According to the slot device, a card guide mechanism is arranged at the entrance to a card slot, and in accordance with the type of card that is to be inserted, guides the card into one of the card slot sections in the storage space.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-63197, in accordance with the type of card inserted, a slot device moves a movable member equipped with a contact piece so that, regardless of the card type, the contact piece can contact the electrode of the card. Thus, the number of parts required can be reduced.